There have been a bunch of very good releases this year, but not a lot are what I'd call great. Wealth and Taste was the first beer the Wowed me this year.

I really enjoyed the first taste of Barrel Aged Gingerbread Stout that Buffalo Brewing Co. brought to the Draft. But a second taste at their Rockwell beer dinner wasn't good at all. I think they messed with the beer or had different barrels because it wasn't the same beer. It wasn't even as good as the regular Gingerbread Stout.

Problem is, the hoops you have to jump through to have most of these beers is pretty daunting. This is a big problem with Texas beer and I hope this is rectified soon.

It's amazing what awful beer laws due to stunt growth. Just one trip to Michigan/Indiana/Illinois made this quite obvious. Good beer is available everywhere and you don't have to go to great lengths to get it.

I hope 2013 shows even more growth and more amazing beers that aren't so hard to find.

Beer Trader

Though I am a New Yorker I spent a lot of time in Houston this year as I have family there and got to enjoy many of the wonderful craft brews being produced across the state. The Southern Star Pro-Am was not only one of the best Texas DIPAs I had in 2012, but one of the best beers period.

Though I am a New Yorker I spent a lot of time in Houston this year as I have family there and got to enjoy many of the wonderful craft brews being produced across the state. The Southern Star Pro-Am was not only one of the best Texas DIPAs I had in 2012, but one of the best beers period.